Saif-Kareena marriage

True to its nature, the Indian Hindi film industry had its own share of drama, death, fights, sleaze, controversy, comebacks, corruption, commercial success and failure, and nudity, in 2012. The same ingredients that some of the Bollywood films employ to tease, titillate, torture or teach its committed audiences. Here are some of the most interesting Bollywood events from the year 2012:

Will they? Won’t they? This hot Jodi kept the media on toes for the last few years hinting on marriage in every interview. The much-awaited wedding finally took place with the Bollywood couple tying the knot in a simple registered marriage ceremony, ending their five-year courtship.

Saif, 42, and Kareena, 32, completed the formalities in the presence of close friends and family at the actor’s residence at Fortune Heights in suburban Bandra.

From shaking up the very foundations of the Indian government to stirring up unseemly controversies, from showing incredible courage in the face of extreme adversities to losing a reputation built over years of hard work in just a blink of an eye, from setting the electoral hustings afire with golden speeches to getting into trouble for not speaking at all, there were many 'newsmakers' in 2012 who caught the common man's imagination. Some made it for stellar reasons, others for all there is wrong with the society. Here are 12 'newsmakers' that deserve a mention. More »

Trying to pick twelve travel destinations in India is a little like choosing the twelve best feathers on a peacock’s train, but pick we must. The most dramatic phenomenon we’ve observed in 2012 is the rising number of Indians choosing their own country for a great holiday. At one end of the spectrum, they are hitchhiking and backpacking. At the other they are patronising the most luxurious hotels and resorts once reserved for tourists brandishing wads of foreign exchange. Keen to experiment, they are experiencing everything from scuba-diving to cycling. Many are taking to wildlife and landscape photography with a passion. Here’s our selection of the 12 most captivating Indian holiday destinations of 2012. Feel free to argue but, most importantly, get up and pack! More »

It was an eventful year in the world of finance and business, one that actively involved all three actors: the government, people and even the common man. From violent employee agitations to controversial reform proposals and volatile economic indicators, we compile the twelve defining news events of 2012. More »